Travel Food: What to Bring and How to Pack It

Many Malaysians bring a little food from home when they go on holiday, whether to save money, to feed the children, or because they worry about the halal status of food in a foreign place. This guide explains which travel food suits each type of trip, what you can and cannot bring, and how to pack it so it does not spill or get held at customs.

Travel guides by destination

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Travel food by type of trip

What you should pack depends a lot on where you are going and how you get there. The table below is a quick guide.

For a road trip, the main risk is heat. Regular cooked food left in a car can go bad quickly, so food that keeps at room temperature is the safer choice. For flights, the question is less about spoilage and more about the airport and customs rules covered further down.

Why retort food works well as travel food

• No fridge needed. It keeps for 1 to 2 years at room temperature.
• Already cooked. You can eat it straight away, or soak it in hot water from the hotel kettle.
• Light and flat. Easier to arrange in a bag than cans or plastic containers.
• Sealed. No smell and no spills as long as the pack is not damaged.

Because the food is already cooked and sealed, you do not need to plan around a kitchen or a fridge at your hotel or campsite. A full explanation of the process is in our guide on retort food.

Rules for bringing food abroad

Many countries strictly control the entry of animal products to prevent livestock diseases such as African swine fever (ASF). For example, South Korea can fine travellers up to 10 million won for failing to declare products that are subject to quarantine, as reported by Asia Economy. Japan, Australia and New Zealand are also known for strict biosecurity checks.

These rules apply to the food in your luggage, not only to fresh meat. A sealed pouch of chicken or beef is still a meat product as far as a quarantine officer is concerned.

Safe general principles:

1. Check the official customs or quarantine website of your destination country before you fly.
2. Avoid bringing products that contain meat, chicken or animal fat to countries that ban them, including dishes in pouches.
3. Declare all food on your arrival form if asked. Declaring usually does not lead to a fine, but hiding food can.
4. Keep food in its original labelled packaging so it is easy to inspect.

For Korea, we cover the food options there in our guide on halal food in Korea.

How to pack travel food

• Checked baggage for dishes with gravy. Most airports limit liquids and gels in the cabin to 100ml containers.
• Wrap pouches in clothes. This protects the packs from being squashed or punctured.
• One zip-lock bag for all the food. Easy to take out during inspection.
• Bring spoons, tissues and a rubbish bag. Small things that people often forget.

Packing your food in one place also makes the customs part simpler. If an officer asks what food you have, you can show everything at once instead of searching through the whole bag.

The full list is in our travel packing tips, and the cabin rules are in our guide on bringing food on a plane.

How to heat food at your hotel

1. Boil water in the hotel’s electric kettle.
2. Pour it into a small sink or a container, then soak the sealed pouch for 5 to 10 minutes.
3. Cut the pouch open and eat it straight away, or pour it into a bowl.

Do not put the pouch inside the kettle. It can damage the kettle and break hotel rules.

FAQ about travel food